The new antennas consisting of liquid metal injected into elastomeric microchannels can be deformed and return to its original shape

Article Summary

The shift to wireless communication using ever-smaller devices has necessitated the need for smaller and smaller antennas. Thankfully, the days of extendable antennas on mobile phones are a thing of the past with manufacturers now able conceal them inside the casing. Now scientists have created shape-shifting antennas that, while not likely to appear in consumer devices like mobile phones any time soon, could open the door to a host of uses in fields ranging from bridge safety monitoring to military deployment.